Batavia to spend more than $3 million on Peace Bridge ramp project
Batavia Riverwalk pedestrians and cyclists can look forward to easier access to Peace Bridge once a new ramp is completed.
The riverwalk trail on the east bank of the Fox River now connects to the Peace Bridge solely by stairs, forcing cyclists to dismount and carry their ride up or down about 20 steps. It also poses challenges for people with disabilities.
City council members have approved more than $3 million in contracts for the construction of the Peace Bridge ramp and related electrical work.
Work is set to begin this week and construction will continue through the summer and fall. The completed ramp is expected to open next spring.
All scheduled events, including the Farmers Market, will proceed as planned during the work, but pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be temporarily impaired on North River Street between State and Spring streets.
The electric work includes relocating the conduits in the adjacent city-owned parking. City engineer Rahat Bari said the relocation is necessary for the ramp to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as to prepare for the future redevelopment of the parking lot.
The project also will require extending an existing stormwater discharge drain to run under the ramp, which needs approval from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Bari said applications have been filed with both agencies.
As approved, the city will pay $2,579,820 to V3 Companies of Woodridge to construct the ramp and $543,988 to Electric Conduit Construction Co. of Elburn for the electric work.
Including the nearly $200,000 that the city paid V3 Companies last fall to design the ramp, the total cost of the project so far is over $3.3 million.
Tax-increment financing funding was used to cover the design phase of the project and is intended to be used to fund the construction work this year.
The city has $5.4 million in available funding between two TIF districts, about half of which must be used this year as one of the districts is expiring, City Administrator Laura Newman said.
To see more renderings of the designs and for future updates, visit the project webpage on the city’s website at bataviail.gov/peacebridgeramp.